Attachment for blue-print machines



Sept. 2, 1930. M. c. PRICE ATTACHMENT FOR BLUE PRINT MACHINES Filed Jan. 16, 1928 INVENTOR Max Charles Pl'zce WITNESSES ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES MAX CHARLES PRICE, OF PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA ATTACHMENT FOR BLUE-PRINT MACHINES Application filed January 16, 1928. Serial No. 247,182.

My invention relates to an improvement on a known type of blue print machine.

In the type of machine in question and illustrated in the drawings, in starting large sheets through the machine to pass about the printing cylinder the sheets will generally curl and it is difiicult to enter them in the slot leading to the printing cylinder. This is so because while the operator holds the front of the advancing sheet straight with both hands, the rear edges curl or kink and generally spoil the print.

The general object of my invention is to provide an attachment for blue print machines which will afford a large and ample entrance slot so that the sheetmay be entered with a side-to-side motion while holding its top or rear edge.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment whereby after the sheet is entered in straight form the machine takes care of itself and automatically feeds the paper without folding, curling, or kinking of the edges.

The manner and means wher'eb the above and other advantages are obtaine will clearly ap ear as the description proceeds.

Re erence is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, it beingunderstood that the drawings are merely illustrative of one example of the invention.

Figure 1 is a erspective ,view of a blue print machine em odying my attachment;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical section of the machine;

Figure 3 is a detail of a side edge of the guiding and clamping board element showing the means for holding the board raised to a position at an angle to the plane of the working area of the endless belt; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the manner of engaging the lower edge of the guide or clamp board with the upper edge of a wall defining the feed slot at one side.

In the illustrated example of my invention, the numeral 10 indicates the body and framework of a blue print machine of known form. 11 indicates the storage compartment for the paper to be printed, and 12 the receiving box for the printed paper.

The numeral 13 indicates the endless feed belt carrying the paper through the machine and about the printing cylinder. The numeral 14 indicates the printing cylinder of known arrangement having light elements 15, and 16 indicates the working area of the feed belt over which the paper passes to the printing cylinder 14.

In accordance with my invention I provide a broad flat element 17 which may be made of wood, fibre board, or other suitable material. The numeral 18' indicates the side portion or wall defining one side of the entrance slot leading to the printing cylinder, and 19 the curled or beaded edge of said wall. On the lower edge or element 17 is an edging 21 which presents a slot or groove 20 receiving the beaded edge 19. The arrangement is such that the board 17 may rock on the edge 19soas to be given a position flat against or substantially parallel with the working area 16 of the be1t 13,.or may be given a position at a pronounced angle to the plane of the working area 16 so as to afford a wide and convergent entrance for, the paper to direct the same to the printing cylinder 14.

In order to hold the element 17 in the angular position shown by broken lines in Figure 2, I provide retaining means for said element 17 which in practice consists of resilient arms 22 held to the body of the framework 10 and projecting at each side beyond the plane of the working area 16 of belt 13. Each side arm 22 terminates in a resilient hook 23 which automatically springs into engagement- With the element 17 and holds the same in the stated angular position shown in full lines in Figure 1 and in broken lines in Figure 2.

The numeral 24 indicates a door at the top of the receiving box 12, and 25 indicates a second door on the receiving box at the front.

The enlarged entrance to the feed slot provided by my attachment enables a sheet to be entered with a side-t o side motion to straighten the curl in the paper while at the same time the paper is held by its top or rear edge. In present machines to which my invention relates it is frequently necessary to be alert to hold the rear corners of a sheet until the edge is almost wholly entered into the machine. Long sheets which may be rolled up in the storage box 11 can be started easily by reason of my improved attachment by holding the front edge straight, but when the rear edge emerges from the storage box the corners of the sheet often roll and unless the operator is alert and holds the edge flat the corners will be folded in and the print ruined. Also the top or rear end of thin or limp drawings or those having a tendency to curl sometimes fall forward in the absence of my attachment and will thus'enter the feed slot, of the machine with the forward part of the drawing unless the sheet is held in place by the operator until it is almost completely-in the machine.

hen the element 17 is in its forward position adjacent the plane of the area 16 of the feed belt it is automatically held in proper position and the machine may be left to operate without attention and will automatically operate to effect the printing.

Furthermore, I would explain, that not infrequently the door of the storage box at the top is left open for convenience and the end of the sheet as it emerges from the machinewill occasionally curl back and enter the feed slot and be printed again, and this is automatically prevented by my attachment, thereby doing away with the need of personal attention to the machine.

I would here state that my attachment 1'? is arranged to be readily removable from the wall 18 so that finger room may be had close to the feeding slot when small sheets are printed, it being understood that my attachment is not required for small work.

I would state furthermore that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, 1 do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since, manifestly, the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a printing roller, a feed belt associated therewith for movement in a fixed path, a fixed wall defining member associated with said roller, and a rigid board pivotally associated with said wall defining member to move angularly with respect to said feed belt.

2. In a device of the character described, a printing roller, a feed belt associated therewith for movement in a fixed path, a fixed wall defining member associated with said roller, and a rigid board pivotally associated with said wall-defining member to move angularly with respect to said feed belt, said board being pivotally movableto lie parallel with said belt.

3. In a device of the character described, a printing roller, a feed belt associated therewith for movement in afixed path, a fixed wall defining member associated with said roller, a rigid board pivotally associated with said wall defining member to move angularly with respect to said feed belt, said board being pivotally movable to lie parallel with said belt, and resilient means for holding said board at an angle with respect to said belt.

Signed at Punta Gorda, in the county of Charlotte and State of Florida, this 10th day of January, it. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-eight. v

MAX CHAS. PRlCE. 

